GREY CHOW. 
•j 
tideway m the roads. Under the impression that the birds attracting their attention were a party of Skuas, 
they were closely studying their manner of procuring prey; and the voracity with which the whole rabble rout 
contended with the hungry sea-fowl afforded them every opportunity of gratifying their curiosity. The ferocity 
with which one or two Crows just then attacked a Gull that had picked up a heavy mouthful of offal, which it 
vainly attempted to make off with, was certainly misleading to any one who had never had a chance of 
observing the habits of the various species of Skua Gulls in a wild state. 
Eor breeding-purposes this species resorts to trees, ledges, and cavities in the face of precipitous rocks, 
and cliffs m the vicinity of the sea-coast. In some exposed districts on the north-west of Scotland, and also on 
several of the islands on inland lochs, I have come across their nests in hushes of birch and stunted fir, at the 
height of only a few feet from the ground ; at times, however, they will make use of almost the highest tree 
in some dense forest. The composition of the nest varies according to the materials within reach of the 
architects— twigs and branches of trees in woodland districts, and roots and stalks of heather in the more open 
localities. The lining consists of wool, moss, and grass. 
The Plate shows an adult male and a nest. It is taken from a rough sketch made on one of the barren 
and uninhabited islands off the west coast of Scotland. This nest was entirely constructed of bleached and 
weatherbeaten stalks of heather, finer twigs being used for the formation of the interior and the binding down 
of the upper portion. The lining was composed of sheep’s-wool, white lichens, and strips or strands of bark. 
Whether this latter material had been torn from large coarse heather-stalks or stunted birch bushes, I was 
unable to decide. The interior was a most elaborately worked-up cup-shaped cradle, six and a half inches deep 
by seven inches in diameter at the upper rim of the nest. 
This species is known in various localities by several different titles. Throughout the Highlands it is 
commonly styled the “ Hoodie;” in the Midland counties and on the south coast I have heard it spoken of as 
the “ Grey,” “ Saddleback,” “ lloyston,” or “Norwegian Crow;” while by many of the Norfolk punt-gunners 
it is named the “Kentish Crow:” the more familiar term, however, for the bird (when conversing amon« 
themselves) would be an « Old Kentish man.” Over a somewhat limited district within a few miles of 
Huntingdon this species is known among the natives as “ Potter Brown’s Crow.” 
